The invention relates in general to new and useful devices composed of rare earth metal containing compounds, and in particular to new uses dielectric substrates and buffer layers composed of compounds of the general formula Sr2RESbO6 where RE is a rare earth metal.
Heretofore, the best substrate or barrier dielectric in thin film superconductor technology has been LaAlO3. However, there have been problems with the use of LaAlO3. For one, its dielectric constant is anisotropic and too high. This automatically prevents one from making certain types of devices. It also undergoes a phase transition leading to twinning and stress. The present invention provides a solution to many of the shortcomings and problems associated with the use of LaAlO3.
The general object of this invention is to provide materials that can be used as a substrate or barrier dielectric in thin film superconductor technology that can overcome the problems, shortcomings and limitations of LaAlO3. A more particular object of the invention is to provide a substrate or barrier dielectric with a low dielectric constant, a low dielectric loss, and a material that does not undergo a phase transition that leads to twinning and stress. It is a further object of the present invention to provide compounds and structures producing tetragonal phases that are extremely useful as dielectric substrates and buffer layers for YBCO and other thin film superconductor devices.
It has now been found that the aforementioned objects can be attained using a compound of the general formula Sr2RESbO6 where RE is a rare earth metal as the substrate or barrier dielectric in thin film superconductor technology. In the above formula, RE can be Lu, Yb, Tm, Er, Ho, Dy, Th, La, Pr, Y Sm, Nd, Eu or Gd. These compounds can be used as barrier or buffer layers and substrates in thin film high critical temperature superconducting structures, as well as antennas and other devices such as ferroelectrics, pyroelectrics, piezoelectrics and hybrids.